Sept. Planning Meeting/DRAFT job description

Present: Teresa Sherwood, Wyoming Territorial Prison, Judy Knight and Joney Wilmont, Laramie Plains Museum, Deb Person, UW Law Library, Maria Emmons and Mandy Langfald, Wyoming State Museum, Sarah Gadd, UW Art Museum, Terri Schindel, Museum Training Network.

Teresa gave an overview on the history of the statewide planning grant for Wyoming and outlined where we are to date. There are cooperating “point persons” identified in 20 of Wyoming’s 23 counties. Crook, Lincoln and Platte still need contacts (either from a library, museum, or archive). Joney and Sarah offered to contact people in those counties.

Partnerships statements have been received from 5 of 20 “point persons”. Partnership Statements need to be complete by Sept. 25th in time to take to the next CWAM board meeting. CWAM will be meeting in Casper the 26th and 27th to review the grant.

If you haven’t already, please get Teresa the list of museums, libraries, and archives in your county, names of contacts, address, and your hourly salary if you would like to donate your time in-kind.

During the meeting Teresa components of the narrative statement for the application. Suggestions were 1) to stress how isolated Wyoming is, and how we differ from coastal states that reviewers may be more familiar with, 2) explain the low number of conservators in the state and lack of full-time professionals in this field to utilize as trainers or mentors, 3) to emphasize that we are building capacity for CWAM to provide services and mentoring once this project is over with (sustainability).

Teresa reviewed the time line. It was suggested that: 1) all persons within CWAM (all WY board members) be identified by name in the proposal. TERESA WILL REQUEST RESUMES OF THESE MEMBERS. 2) That an “up front” person with CWAM or someone familiar with Wyoming’s museums or libraries be identified and hired part time to administer the grant (project director). We will be notified by IMLS Feb. 1 if we receive the money but the project cannot start until March 1. Because our time line is tight, the group suggested CWAM hiring someone to work in Feb. and then starting March 1, pay the part time employee out of the grant budget.

Below is a DRAFT job description for the project coordinator:

CWAM EMPLOYEE:
Title: PROJECT COORDINATOR for Wyoming’s Connecting to Collection Grant

Salary: $20 an hour @ 30 hours a week for 24 weeks with possible extension

Start Date: Mid Feb. by the 1st of March – Aug. 31

Responsibilities:
Work with Grant Administrator and CWAM board members to complete Wyoming’s Connecting to Collection’s grant. Coordinate surveys with the University of Wyoming’s Survey & Analysis Center. Work with a “point person” in each of Wyoming’s 23 counties to set up and facilitate a meeting in their community about the project. Meetings require travel and overnight stays. There is a travel budget of $1,743 for gas and hotel. (Paid with grant funds). Meetings will take place starting the last week of April and into May 2009.

While at these meetings, disseminate information about CWAM and the grant to Wyoming’s libraries, museums and archives. Field questions about the grant and survey. Take notes of the participants’ concerns and track them in a database.

May – July, create a network of trained professionals willing to be a part of MAST (Museum Assistance & Services Team). This will be a grassroots effort to bring together Wyoming’s most talented museum, archives, and library employees. Mentors should be willing to give of their time through email and phone. Through the MAST program, CWAM will reimburse them up to $150 for on-site consultations.

In August, create mailings about the survey results and post results on CWAM’s website. Using MAST, assist CWAM and the Museum Training Network in planning workshops based on the survey results. Confirm workshop dates and curriculum with trainers involved in MAST and MTN.

Qualifications: Graduate student or independent consultant with experience in museums, archives, or libraries with a degree (or working towards a degree) in conservation, preservation, history, public history, archives or related field. Must be organized, able to work with a team but be self-motivated, have good verbal communication skills as well as the ability to produce clearly written reports.

Willingness and ability to travel is a must. CWAM will reimburse employee for travel and hotel expenses from the $1,743.
This position does not offer benefits but employee is entitled to attend one annual meeting free of charge and all of the training sessions he/she arranges in Aug. that will take place between Sept. 09 and Jan. 2010.